20 Most Evil Female Movie Villains Ever

In the early days of cinema, female characters were often portrayed as weak, subservient, and in need of saving. However, as the industry evolved, women began to be given more prominent and complex roles, including some of the most iconic and terrifying villains in film history. These deadly female characters shatter the stereotype that women are less capable of being menacing and demonstrate that women can be just as deadly and formidable.

Although the story is often told from the hero’s perspective, there’s no denying that a good story is never complete without a vicious villain. A well-written villain adds depth and intrigue to the story, and when that villain is a woman, it adds a layer of complexity and an extra level of intrigue. From witches such as Bellatrix Lestrange to ruthless leaders like Ma-Ma, these women have demonstrated that evil is not only limited to men.

20 Phyllis Dietrichson

‘Double Indemnity’ (1944)

One of the first notable examples of the femme fatale character archetype in classic noir filmmaking, Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity has an undeniable legacy as one of the most influential female villains in film history. Played by Barbara Stanwyck, Phyllis is responsible for the primary crux and premise of the film, scheming with insurance agent Walter Neff to kill her husband in order to cash in on a double indemnity policy. However, their plans of life insurance fraud prove to have several struggles, as Phyllis is quick to turn her back and stab Walter in the back to save her own skin.

While Double Indemnity was far from the first true noir thriller to be released in Hollywood, it’s certainly one of the most critically acclaimed and iconic of its era, with the masterful villainy of Phyllis playing a major part in why. She uses her charms and femininity as a weapon to convince and deceive others into doing what she wants them to do, an alluring and ahead-of-its-time take on a female villain who doesn’t shy away from her abilities as a brilliant strategist.

19 Rose Armitage

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Jordan Peele‘s horror thriller follows a young Black man (David Kaluuya) who visits his girlfriend’s family, only to uncover a sinister secret about this white family. What starts out as an awkward meeting quickly turns into a struggle for survival as a bizarre conspiracy unfolds all around them.

Get Out is a uniquely strange film, but its true terror lies in the hidden main antagonist, Rose (Allison Williams), and her family of murderers. It is truly terrifying how she can switch from seeming caring and sweet to a ruthless psychopath. Tasked with forming relationships with unsuspecting African Americans, in order to lure them to her home, Rose manages to deceive both Chris and the unsuspecting audience to perpetuate her evil.

18 Jennifer

‘Jennifer’s Body’ (2009)

Easily one of the greatest performances and career highlights of Megan Fox, Jennifer was originally nothing more than a standard popular high school girl before she became the victim of a trio of vicious cultists. However, now with a demon inhabiting her body, Jennifer finds herself going on a rampaging killing spree across her town, tricking the men in her town with sexual advances before devouring them whole. She plays into her preconceived notions as an attractive popular girl to inflict the maximum pain upon the vile classmates who deserve it most.

Jennifer’s Body has a blatant and deeply memorable satire that plays around gender roles and the male gaze, with Jennifer as a character central to the film’s thesis and overall messaging. It plays into the satirical comedy of the film for Jennifer to gleefully commit heinous and violent acts of murder and deprivation during the film, bringing out her literal inner demon as payback against the males of her school. It makes for a villain that is as undeniably entertaining as it is evil in nature.

17 Madeline ‘Ma-Ma’ Madrigal

‘Dredd’ (2012)

Following a report of terrible crimes being committed in a slum neighborhood under the control of a dangerous kingpin named Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), Dredd (Karl Urban) and Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby) venture into this danger zone to bring the perpetrators to justice. Trapped in a maze and without any assistance, these cops must fight their way to survival in Dredd.

In this awesome comic-to-film adaptation, Lena Headey plays yet another iconic villain in its apocalyptic world. Her portrayal of the ruthless, brilliant, and unapologetically evil character demonstrates her versatility as an actress. Headey’s outstanding performance, along with other factors, contributes to the overall appeal of this underappreciated sci-fi film.

16 Elle Driver

‘Kill Bill Vol. 2’ (2004)

To exact her revenge on her former boss and lover, this Lethal female assassin (Uma Thurman) must go through Bill’s younger brother, Budd and Elle in Quentin Tarantino‘s wild revenge flick, Kill Bill Vol. 2. But with them already on her tail, will she succeed in her mission?

Both Kill Bill movies feature a diverse cast of villainous characters, making it difficult to determine who is the deadliest. However, Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) stands out as the most venomous with her impressive fighting abilities, use of a black mamba, and constantly scheming mind. Despite her missing eye, she proves to be a formidable opponent for the Bride, ultimately receiving a brutal death sentence. Her close-quarters fight scene with the Bride is considered one of the most realistic and brutal in the film.

15 Pamela Voorhees

‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)

While many people associate the legendary Jason Voorhees as the primary hockey mask killer of the Friday the 13th series, many forget that the first film in the series had Jason’s mother, Pamela Voorhees, committing the murders. As an act of revenge for how the kids at Camp Crystal Lake treated her son, Pamela begins stalking and murdering various camp counselors as they attempt to reopen the summer camp, hoping to keep the camp closed for the foreseeable future.

What makes Pamela stand out as a great slasher villain, even outside the twist factor of her being an unassuming and caring mother, is the simple yet brilliant performance by Betsy Palmer. She embodies the unquestionable love that all parents have towards their children, although in this case to a disturbingly sickening degree as she murders in the name of retribution for Jason. While Jason may have picked up the mantle and eventually became the face of the franchise, Pamela was the one to launch the series into icon status from the very beginning.

14 Marla Grayson

‘I Care a Lot’ (2021)

Few films, even those with villainous characters as the leads, allow the audience to partake and join in on the villainy and excitement of deplorable actions quite like I Care a Lot accomplishes. The film’s lead and primary villain is Marla Grayson, a cutthroat no-nonsense hustler who has made riches off of acting as a court-appointed legal guardian and defrauding her clients while trapping them under her care. Her schemes have made her millions through the manipulation and stealing of hundreds of elderly clients, but she finally faces some major pushback when her latest mark has deadly underground ties.

Much like Rosamund Pike’s other villainous roles, Marla Grayson succeeds as a villain thanks to her powerful balance of cold, calculated precision as well as being able to turn on a cheery, upbeat facade at a moment’s notice. Even when the crime syndicate that she goes up against is far from being heroic, it’s difficult to consider Marla the hero by any sense of the word, as the film acts more like a battle between two different parasitic entities.

13 Asami Yamazaki

‘Audition’ (1999)

Coming from a darkly twisted tale from the mind of Takashi Miike, Asami Yamazaki from Audition is a chilling inevitability of the terror and dread that one is able to go through in the name of vengeance. Played by Sihi Shiina, Asami is a quiet woman who was sexually abused as a child, transforming her into a vicious and disturbed killer who won’t flinch at the thought of sadistically torturing and murdering men who have betrayed or abandoned her. In the film, she finds herself in the path of film producer Shigeharu Aoyama during his process of searching for a new girlfriend via an audition process.

While there have been many stories of female revenge over the years, what makes Asami’s quest for sadistic revenge in Audition that much more impactful is the deeply disturbing and shocking execution. More than simply killing off her targets, Asami’s capabilities as a master of torture create many painful and hard-to-watch sequences, even if her targets are far from the most innocent of individuals. It also helps that Shiina’s performance elevates the character into one of the defining icons of horrors of the 90s.

12 Esther

‘Orphan’ (2009)

A highly memorable and deeply disturbing horror villain, Esther puts on the simple, innocent appearance of an orphaned 9-year-old, and through the film Orphan, is adopted to fill the void of a struggling couple. However, the truth of the matter is much more terrifying and despicable, as Esther begins doing several mysterious and offputting behaviors, from acting highly mature for her age to killing small animals and terrorizing other children.

While many films have had evil or killer children as their focal point, Esther goes above and beyond in terms of pure villainy and immoral actions, as greatly illustrated in the film’s iconic twist. Esther isn’t a child at all, but is a 33-year-old woman who due to her hypopituitarism, has incredibly stunted growth and has the appearance of a young girl. Esther has been using her young appearance to her advantage to trick people, and is, in reality, a terrifying serial killer who has murdered at least seven people.

11 Nurse Midlred Ratched

‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1975)

This dark psychological dramedy directed by Milos Forman and based on the novel by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest tells the story of Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a criminal who feigns insanity to avoid serving a prison sentence. McMurphy is sent to a mental institution, where he finds himself under the control of Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), a tyrannical and oppressive authority figure. McMurphy and other patients must band together to defeat this nurse.

Nurse Ratched is the antithesis of the ideal nurse, as she exacerbates tensions and exploits the patients’ vulnerabilities for her own gain. She may not be an over-the-top villain, but her manipulation and cruelty certainly put her on the list of the deadliest female villains. While Nicholson was the star of the movie, Louis Fletcher was simply brilliant in her portrayal of this atrocious nurse and deservedly earned her an Oscar.

10 Joy Wang / Jobu Tupaki

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)

The highly memorable and iconic villain from the Best Picture-winning original sci-fi film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Joy Wang is the chaotic essence of what makes the film work so well. Between all the wild and extravagant alternate universes that are shown throughout the film, what makes the character such a powerful threat is that she experiences all universes at once. This has resulted in a deadly nihilistic view of existence as a whole, as her chaotic and rulebreaking quest for answers and an end to it all has ramifications across the entire multiverse.

It speaks volumes that a film whose major selling point is its zany and wacky action and comedy has some of its greatest and most effective character moments from a haunting, down-to-earth portrayal of depression and self-destruction. Combined with Stephanie Hsu‘s powerful supporting performance, it creates an unforgettable and highly relatable villain for the digital era, where villainous comedy and flashy nonsense are used as an escape from the dreadful realities of life.

9 Cruella De Vil

‘One Hundred and One Dalmatians’ (1961)

Disney animated movies have seen many female villains over the years, yet when it comes to truly despicable characters that embody evil in every sense of the word, few live up to the vile nature of Cruella De Vil. Cruella is a pampered heiress and fashion designer in London, with a keen eye for extravagant clothes and the absolute pinnacle of the fashion world. She isn’t afraid to commit heinous atrocities for the sake of fashion, having a plan to kidnap and murder over a hundred Dalmatian puppies to turn them into fur coats.

Cruella is the clear star and defining factor that elevates One Hundred and One Dalmatians into being an all-time Disney classic, fully reveling in her sadistic and abhorrent nature and villainy. It’s a widely accepted notion that, no matter how evil a villain is towards human characters, the notion of committing heinous acts against innocent cute animals places them a step above the average irredeemable villain. While there have been attempts to make the character more approachable and relatable such as in the Emma Stone-led live-action prequel, Cruella is at her best when she’s unabashedly evil.

Watch on Disney+

8 Ellie

‘Evil Dead Rise’ (2023)

The Evil Dead franchise is widely known for having numerous iconic and memorable Deadite villains over the years, yet the most recent film’s possession of Ellie may stand out as the series’ greatest villain. Before being possessed in Evil Dead Rise, Ellie was a single mother attempting to care for three siblings in a Los Angeles apartment building, but after her children unleash the horrors of the Necronomicon, she is transformed into a terrifying and unrelenting monster who has permanently transformed Ellie into a vicious, bloodthirsty menace.

Part of what makes Ellie such an exceptional and memorable villain is the highly entertaining performance from Alyssa Sutherland, who goes all out in terms of terror and villainy to create an iconic horror villain for the ages. The character does all of the classic attributes and actions of a regular villainous Deadite, but Evil Dead Rise‘s focus on a singular major Deadite as opposed to a larger group creates a much greater focus and attention placed on Ellie as a singular monstrous force.

7 Amy Dune

‘Gone Girl’ (2014)

Adapted from a novel of the same name, Gone Girl is a psychological thriller that follows a Missouri couple, Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dune (Rosamund Pike) whose seemingly perfect marriage comes crashing down when Amy goes missing. Under serious accusations of being his wife’s killer, Nick must watch his life fall apart while Detective Rhonda pieces the puzzles together.

Amy is unquestionably dark, complex, and yet so realistic in this masterpiece created by David Fincher. Tired of playing the “cool girl,” she seeks revenge on her husband in a twisted and sadistic manner. Despite being vengeful, sadistic, and creepy, she manages to elicit sympathy from a lot of viewers with her rather sad story.

6 Alex Forrest

‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)

Fatal Attraction centers on a happily married man, Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) who has a causal fling with an editor, Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), and becomes an object of her aggressive obsession. As Alex becomes increasingly violent, Dan Gallagher must find a way to protect his family from this stalker.

Due to the themes present in this now-popular example of a stalker movie, it was one of the most talked about films when it was released. Glenn Close’s portrayal of Alex Forrest, a chic woman who transforms into a stalker as her obsession with Dan grows, contributed to the film’s profound impact. While some may see Forrest as a victim, her manipulative and violent actions solidify her as one of the most terrifying female villains in film history.

5 Dolores Umbridge

‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)

This fantasy adventure film, inspired by J.K. Rowling‘s beloved children’s book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix continues the story of an orphan who discovers his magical abilities on his eleventh birthday. Enrolled in the school of wizardry, this young wizard must fight the dark forces that pose a threat to their magical world.

Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) is highly detested and is considered one of the series’ most villainous characters in the Harry Potter film series. The most terrifying aspect of Dolores’ villain is the demeanor she maintains while committing cruel and oppressive acts. Her ultimate goal may be to maintain order and control, but her methods are brutal and unjust. As she wields her deadly power against anyone who tramples on her ideals, she maintains a deceitful smile that makes her even more menacing.

4 Wicked Witch of the West

‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Based on L. Frank Baum‘s classic children’s novel, the musical fantasy movie The Wizard of Oz follows a young girl, Dorothy (Judy Garland), and her dog Toto as they are whisked away to the enchanted land of Oz by a tornado. To return home, she sets out with three newfound friends to seek out the great wizard who will grant their wishes.

After vowing to avenge her sister and retrieve the ruby slippers, the villainous witch (Margaret Hamilton) goes all out to destroy Dorothy. There’s no denying that the Wicked Witch of the West was terrifying, dark, dangerous, cruel, and deserving of the title “Wicked.” This tyrant was not only despised by the audience and Dorothy, but her castle guards thought her so evil they rejoiced when she melted.

3 Bellatrix Lestrange

‘Harry Potter’ Franchise (2001–2011)

In this fantasy tale, Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter, as he sets out to defeat the nefarious dark lord. Throughout the story, Harry must navigate a perilous journey as he learns to combat the various villains who threaten his world.

This pure-blood witch (Helena Bonham Carter) is unwaveringly dedicated to serving the Dark Lord and destroying his enemies. Her loyalty borders on the extreme and her methods are often considered to be quite ruthless. One of the most unsettling scenes in the Harry Potter movies is when she tortures Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). The character is played creepily well, and many consider her one of the best in the franchise.

2 Pearl

‘Pearl’ (2022)

One of the most memorable and iconic horror movie villain protagonists in recent memory, Pearl transforms her high ambitions of wanting to be a star and leaving her simple family farm and transforms it into unexpected levels of bloodshed. Pearl acts as a prequel to Ti West‘s previous film, X, where Pearl was also the villain, yet instead of being an elderly woman past her prime, this film sees the character full of youth and daring to explore the world.

Part of what makes Pearl such a compelling villainous main character, on top of the added context of where the character ends up in X, is the brilliant lead performance from Mia Goth. Goth breathes life into the poetically tragic character, where the harsh realities of life get in the way of high-reaching dreams, and the disconnect results in dastardly consequences for all involved. The film’s dual role of treating Pearl as both a villain and the main character allows for a deeper dive into her psyche and the slow but eventual decay of her dreams and mental state.

Watch on Fubo

1 Annie Wilkes

‘Misery’ (1990)

In this dark horror film, a novelist, Paul Sheldon (James Caan) finds himself trapped after an obsessive fan nurses him back to health after a crash. Stuck in her cabin, he becomes a subject of her violent behaviors and tendencies. Paul Sheldon must find a way to escape or risk becoming forever stuck in this nurse’s twisted fantasies.

Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) in Misery is a chilling representation of an obsessive fan. Her actions, as she tortures her favorite author due to her twisted fantasies, are disturbingly realistic. Though she may appear as just another story lover, she is considered one of the most terrifying characters created by Stephen King, earning her the nickname “Killer Nurse.” Kathy Bates received an Oscar for her outstanding portrayal of this disturbed character.

NEXT: The Most Evil Protagonists In Movies